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Illinois Public Media

Georgetown Council Agrees to Sell Water For Coal Mine

The Indiana-based company, Sunrise Coal, has entered into an agreement with the city of Georgetown to purchase raw water at the Bulldog Mine in Vermilion County that can be used to wash the coal.

The Georgetown City Council unanimously approved the plan Monday night.

Sunrise Coal says it will nvest roughly a million dollars in infrastructure improvements to the city's water system, and create about 300 long-term jobs.

Georgetown Mayor Kay Sanders said she has been assured by engineers that the process won’t harm residents.

“They have told us it is safe, and we have got all the legal authority’s working on it to make sure it’s damn sure it’s safe," she said.

The coal mine expects to use up to 300,000 gallons of water per day in the early phase of the project, and then up to 500,000 gallons per day during peak production.

"Sunrise Coal strives to be a good neighbor in the community, working to support local charities, recycling, and education," said Sunrise spokeswoman Suzanne Jaworowski, in a press release. "Safety is a priority at Sunrise Coal."

This spring, the Homer Village Board approved a contract to provide up to 20,000 gallons of treated water to Sunrise Coal, despite opposition from a number of residents. But a month later, the board rejected the company’s request for raw water.